Just Good Shit: 03.06.22
Hello!
I’m back in Brooklyn after a trip to the Catskills last week. My girlfriend and I stayed in a rental with a fireplace and hot tub, and that is…pretty much all we did! Woke up and soaked…did sunny midday soaks…soaked in the evening…took out the binoculars to peep birds while soaking…looked at snow and trees and stars while soaking… truly the best way to do nature! (I was also moved to re-read this extremely soothing and delightful 2016 NYT Magazine article about Iceland’s public baths.)
We also knit by the fire, worked on a puzzle, made ziti, got takeout from Phoenicia Diner, drove to Ashokan Reservoir, and made a stop at Woodbury Commons. On Friday, we went birding in Prospect Park, which was…incredible?! We saw so many birds, including cardinals, blue jays, downy woodpeckers, a shitload of robins, and, right before we left, a throuple of wood ducks. (Next on my to-do list: Getting my nice camera repaired so I can properly capture them.) It was a really lovely time, and I’m just so glad we got to take this trip.
Here’s what else I’ve been up to…
Reading
Right now we are just trying to survive, Welcome to Hell World.
Texas’s Attorney General Is Laying the Groundwork to Separate Trans Kids From Their Families, The New Republic.
Who Should Be Allowed to Transition?, NYT.
Related: “cis people also get gender-affirming procedures but just don’t call it that.”
So, Just Making Sure That We Agree: It's OK To Seize Oligarchs' Stuff Now, Forever Wars.
Justice According to Letitia James, NY Mag.
If you’ve rented a car from Hertz, there could be a warrant out for your arrest, Yahoo.
I hate Hertz. Hate!!!
The Endless Cycle of Opinion Havers, Men Yell at Me.
The Euphoria Problem, All in Her Head.
Paul Farmer Invented a New Way of Caring for One Another, The Atlantic.
“We must all care for one another—anything less is morally unacceptable.” I confess I didn’t know who Paul Farmer was before reading this obituary, but I still found it incredibly moving and inspiring.
A gripping yarn: inside the Knitting.com drama, Input.
Listening to
We started listening to Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast last week in the Catskills and it’s so good!! Think You’re Wrong About meets This American Life. I think we’ve listened to about 10 eps so far, and every one has been a banger. It’s hard to pick a fave but I really liked “Truck Nutz” and “Gender Reveal Parties.”
Have a good one! ✨
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